Since ancient times, mankind has wanted to climb up to heaven, and the sad fate of the builders of the Tower of Babel does not cool the ardor of their followers. From the moment when the construction of skyscrapers became technically feasible, different countries and cities periodically compete, determining whose building is tallest. For 5 years (since 2010), the record holder has been the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai: a 164-story building with a height of 828 meters is a difficult model to reproduce.
Grand construction
An ambitious plan to build the tallest building in the world appeared in 2002, and in 2004 a construction project was launched that moved pretty quickly: 1-2 floors were built in a week, and it was supposed that the opening would take place on September 9, 2009 (apparently, the creators were inspired by three nine date), but man assumes, but God disposes.
However, the builders did not have time on time, and the solemn event had to be postponed until January 4 of next year. Initially, the Burj Khalifa tower was simply called simply “Dubai”, but in the process of opening, the UAE Prime Minister announced that he was dedicating it to the president, Sheikh Khalifa ibn Zayed Al-Nahyan, and he named it by the name by which she is known today.
During the construction process, the final height of the building was kept secret. The project, developed by American architect E. Smith, made it possible to vary the height of the spire, so the creators took almost no risk: if a competitor appeared, the Burj Khalifa tower would simply “grow” by several meters.
Expensive pleasure
A grand construction project cost one and a half billion US dollars - but this amount, apparently, could have been much larger if the developers paid human labor and ensured the safety of workers (brought mainly from South Asia).
The Western press periodically made a fuss: in 2006, the British Guardian published that workers earn up to 3 pounds a day (one can imagine how horrifying it inspired the British), and the Air Force reported the terrible conditions in which people working on construction had to live.
On the Web you can find many articles about the unsightly truth that the Burj Khalifa tower was hiding behind its sparkling facade. The country and city in which the construction took place do not look very attractive in them.
Since the construction of the pyramids, little has changed …
There is evidence that workers worked 12 hours a day and earned about $ 200 a month (for comparison: the average income of the UAE population is more than $ 2, 000). Moreover, this money has not yet been paid on time, they took away passports and in response to indignation only threatened with deportation. Despite this, almost all the time of construction, the workers went on strike and even staged riots: in March 2006, the damage caused by the rebels was estimated at half a million pounds.
According to HRW (Human Rights Watch), non-compliance with safety regulations led to numerous accidents, but only one fatal incident was officially confirmed with which the Burj Khalifa tower was connected: the country and the city, which are the birthplace of a gigantic construction, only brushed aside from the charges, not trying to pay attention to these annoying details. The result was above all, and the end justified the means.
The sweet fruits of bitter labors
I must say that the civilized world, "terribly worried" about the moral side of a specific Dubai business, has shown its true attitude to what is happening by voting, as they say, with a dollar. A year later, the Burj Khalifa tower paid off with interest - even in the process of erecting a building, its squares were already purchased at a price of $ 40 thousand per square meter.
The Armani firm made an impressive investment: it owns 37 floors, from the first to the thirty-ninth (excluding the two technical 17th and 18th). Here is the hotel, bearing the name of the famous fashion house (the master himself, Giorgio Armani, had a hand in the design of the rooms), and the company's offices.
Practically all the upper floors, starting from the 111th, are also at the mercy of the businessmen, and apartments that only millionaires can afford can be found a little lower. It is known that one floor was completely redeemed by the Indian moneybags Shetty.
Each group of premises (apartments, offices and a hotel) has a separate entrance. It's funny that the first and last floors are connected only by one elevator, and that service. So if you intend to get to the very top, you have to make transfers. There are many who wish: one of the two viewing platforms is the highest in the world, and the view from it is magnificent. Thanks to this fact, tourists liked the Burj Khalifa tower: the city of Dubai, spread out below, is a beautiful sight. At the site you can spend at least a whole day, time is not limited. But getting on it is problematic, and experienced travelers advise to worry about tickets in advance.
Tower specifics
The situation with elevators is due to the configuration of the building: resembling stalactite in shape, it tapers stepwise upward and ends with a 180-meter spire. During the construction, of course, the climate of the place where the Burj Khalifa tower is located was taken into account: the local heat made life very difficult for workers. For the construction of the building, special concrete was used, able to withstand heating up to 50 degrees. Moreover, when pouring into the solution it was necessary to lay crushed ice and work exclusively at night, otherwise the strength of the finished product would be very far from optimal.
An interesting solution was found with regard to water supply. To collect rainwater and then use it for various needs is not a new idea, it has been used for a long time. The only problem was that in the country in which the Burj Khalifa tower is located, there is practically no rainfall. But (apparently, the designers decided) there will be a huge amount of condensate: the air cooling system “squeezes” water from the premises, which means that it can be collected and thus save a valuable resource. The idea was very successfully implemented. Now, due to such savings, it is possible to collect about 40 million liters of water per year.
Air conditioners not only cool, but also aromatize the air in the building (the smell is specially designed). But it would be difficult for them to cope if special windows did not reflect the sun's rays. In terms of area, they are equal to three football fields, and they are washed constantly: it takes three months to clean everything, and then work begins all over again.
The shine and poverty of the UAE
The conditions in which the Burj Khalifa tower appeared are curious and indicative. A country called the United Arab Emirates is one of the richest in the world. The fabulous fortunes of local sheikhs have long become a byword, and this construction can be considered a kind of symbol of the power of money.
The city of Dubai, the capital of the emirate of the same name (state in state), is the largest in the UAE and perhaps the most dynamically developing. He is already one of the three largest business centers in the region (not least due to the ultramodern seaport located in a convenient place) and is not going to stop there, trying to conquer more and more heights.
For all its splendor, Dubai (where the Burj Khalifa tower rises) is not the capital of the country, losing this honor to Abu Dhabi, the main city of the emirate of the same name, the largest and richest of all. According to some sources, it provides about 70% of the GDP of the entire state as a whole.
Federal monarchy
I must say that it is not easy for a European to understand the structure of the United Arab Emirates, since this is some kind of absolutely wild hybrid of democracy with an absolute monarchy, and there are big questions regarding the equality of federal units. So, the main authority in the UAE is the High Council, which consists of the heads (read: monarchs) of all seven emirates. But his decisions are legitimate only if there are representatives of the “coolest” ones: Abu Dhabi and Dubai. From the point of view of the triumph of democracy, this is very doubtful. But from the point of view of common sense, it is quite natural: these two emirates provide more than three-quarters of GDP. Who, if not them, should determine the vectors of development of the state?
Rapid take-off
Now the UAE is developing very quickly. This is connected with a favorable tax climate, the presence of free trade zones and the absence of bureaucracy.
Of course, oil production initially started the economy, but if you strictly adhere to the facts, then the state where the Burj Khalifa is located pays due attention to other sources of income. Today, almost 30% of GDP is in the service sector, including tourism, and oil provides less than ten.
Emirates trade, mine, buy the latest technology and develop rapidly and mercilessly (especially in relation to those who ensure this development with their labor). About 5 million people live in the UAE. Not very many, but even this number should not be confused with the number of indigenous people - directly citizens, of whom there are less than a million.
